Fanfic Request Collection
by eri-loves-nozomi
Summary: These are short fics that were requested through my tumblr page. 1) NicoEri 2) Nozomi's School For Capturing Princesses 3) NozoEri 4) UmiMaki
1. A Little Closer (NicoEri)

**Title: A Little Closer**

 **Pairing: NicoEri**

* * *

"Okay, I'm just going to run to the convenience store to pick up the things I need to finish dinner, so you three be good and stay out of the kitchen while I'm gone." Nico couldn't believe that she had been so distracted that she forgot to pick up the necessary ingredients.

'Let's see, I need more beef, carrots, and maybe a few more cubes of broth…I'll have to go to the grocery near the school…' As Nico walked, her thoughts strayed back to what she had been thinking about pretty much all day.

Nico didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but something about Eri's behavior the last few days was really bothering her. The blond was just acting so…so…normal, and the very normalness of her actions was driving Nico out of her mind. Nico could tell that something had changed, but the shift was so subtle and well concealed that she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was about the other girl that was driving her up a wall.

It all started when Nozomi left for a week long vacation with her parents. Normally students don't go on trips in the middle of school, but this was an exception, since she rarely got to see them. It was after the mischievous girl left that Nico started to feel that something was off with Eri. Was is just because it was so weird not to see the two best friends together?

Over the next few days, Nico's eyes had started to follow the blond's movements whenever they were in the same room, trying to discover what it was about the girl that was causing her so much unease, but no matter how much she looked, everything seemed normal.

Arriving early and working in the student council room - Normal.

Perfect posture and absurdly gorgeous note-taking - Normal.

Scolding misbehaving underclassmen and making them swoon with her entirely too charming half-smile and kind eyes - Normal.

Working through lunch in the student council room - Normal.

Confident movements and playful conversation during dance practice - Normal.

Staying late to work on student council stuff after practice - Normal.

It was all so normal, and it really was driving Nico crazy.

* * *

The school's lights were on. Or rather, there was one light on, the student council room. Nico almost didn't notice, lost in her thoughts as she was, but the bright light spilling out the window was hard to miss on such a dark night, with hardly any street lamps illuminating the road she was walking down.

'Huh…maybe she forgot to turn the light off when she left…there's no way that she's still there…' Turning away from the school, Nico attempted to convince herself that there was absolutely no reason why the student council president would continue working so late at night. 'Surely she went home hours ago…'

"err…ah…argh! Fine! I'll check it out, and if that idiot is really still there, I'll make her take me out to the fanciest place to make it up to me. A super idol like me shouldn't have to wander around creepy schools at night in order to look after stupid, sexy, workaholics!" The self-proclaimed Idol stomped angrily through the school grounds, partly to work off her annoyance, and partly to scare off any real ghosts that might have been floating around.

When she reached the student council room, Nico swallowed her nervousness and barged right in, pushing the door a little too forcefully, causing it to hit the wall with a distinctive ' **Bang!** '.

"Yeep!" Eri, looking exceptionally worn down, as if she had hardly slept the last few days, had been about to move a small stack of papers from the desk in front of her, but the sound of the door startled her causing her to jump in surprise and instinctively back up, tripping over her chair and sending the papers scattering across the floor.

"Nico! You scared me. What are you doing here this late?" It took a moment for the shorter girl to answer, because she was too busy laughing to say anything. Every time it seemed like the giggles were dying down, Nico would take one look at the other girl's bewildered and somewhat nervous expression and the laughter would overtake her once again.

"The real question is What are _you_ doing here this late? There's no reason for you to continue working this late at night." As she said this, Nico knelt down and started to pick up all of the papers that had been scattered because of her earlier entrance.

"W-Well…I…" Eri refused to meet Nico's eyes, taking the papers and nervously shuffling them in her hands, before finally placing them down on the desk.

"…Unless…" Nico narrowed her eyes as a sudden realization crossed her mind. "…You lost track of time because Nozomi isn't here to remind you…and you were too scared to walk home alone in the dark!"

"I..I'm not…" The flicker of fear in her eyes and the way her features paled a little belied her denial.

"You are! There's no point in trying to act brave, you know." Nico was extremely pleased with herself for figuring this out. She was finally understanding some things about the 'not so perfect' blond that she had never really considered before. It made her feel pretty happy that she was getting to see a side of Eri that maybe only Nozomi had ever known. However, that didn't help with the current situation.

'I can't just leave her here. If she really is that scared, she definitely won't make it home by herself.' With an internal sigh, Nico promptly closed the distance between herself and the other girl, gently taking her slightly shaking hand and pulling her towards the council room door. "Well, come on! Don't worry, the great Nico-Nii will escort you home and protect you from all the scary things."

* * *

"Thank you, Nico…" A warm look, normally reserved for Nozomi, accompanied by a slight red tinge was enough to make Nico's heart beat faster. The sincere fondness in those blue eyes was almost too much and she had to say something to cover her own (embarrassing) reaction.

"Don't think that a thank you is enough of a reward for the opportunity to be personally escorted by the Super Idol Nico! I expect you to take me out for a fancy dinner and a visit to the arcade to make it up to me." She turned away to leave it at that, but a soft hand grasped her own briefly, and she felt the slight brush of Eri's lips on her cheek, her whispered words lingering in her mind as she was left alone on the doorstep, a hand covering her face stained with red, staring out at the dark, moonless night.

"…Alright…it's a date then…"


	2. Nozomi's School For Capturing Princesses

**Title: Nozomi's School For Capturing Princesses**

* * *

"Listen well, my adorable apprentices-"

"Ehh."

"Quiet Nicochi. Now as I was saying…There are only three things you need to remember. Stealth. Body language. and…what was the third one? Anyone care to take a guess?"

"Ooh! Ooh! Rin knows!"

"Please tell the class, Seargent Rin."

"Rice!"

"hmm…close, but I think that only applies to your specific target. Anyone else want to try~?"

"Is it getting physical?"

"Nice try Kotori-chan, but I don't think your target can handle that level of attack yet. We'll cover that aspect in a future class everyone. For now, the final thing to remember is Location, as in, make sure you have cut off all escape routes before moving in."

"Why am I even here?"

"To learn Nicochi. Princesses don't capture themselves, you know~"

* * *

The atmosphere in the clubroom is strangely tense when she enters. Umi takes her regular seat, glancing at each one of her fellow muse members in turn, taking in abnormally straight backs, seemingly pale complexions, and the way some eyes appear unable to stop roving. She hadn't missed the reactions when she had opened the door to enter, not one minute previous. It was telling in the way that Hanayo had squeaked a little before covering her own mouth with her hands, the way Eri's fingers hesitated in their movements across the laptop keyboard, the way Maki put on her most determinedly blank expression and clenched her fist as if ready to fight…or run.

Those reactions had only last a moment before the occupants of the room had realized 'Oh…it's just Umi.' and relaxed just the slightest bit, but not completely. The air is still charged, as if everyone is waiting for…something. Whatever it is, Umi doesn't know, but what she does know is that she should probably find out quickly. Before that 'something' catches her unaware.

"…What is going on?" It is a rather abrupt question, but the direct approach is always the best, and Umi can't shake the feeling that she is running out of time. She directs her gaze to Eri, still not quite able to shake the entrenched belief that the older blonde, being an upperclassmen, will have all the answers she needs.

No one says anything for a long moment. Eri herself only meets Umi's eyes for a fraction of a second before glancing away. Apprehension, worry, maybe a flicker of guilt. That's what Umi saw in the other girl in that brief time. She watches her friend swallow convulsively and try to form words to explain, but no sound comes out.

"They're plotting against us." That was Maki, her tone the usual combination of bored and aggravated. The expression on her face and the seemingly unnoticed death grip on her phone makes it clear that she is trying harder than usual to affect an unconcerned air.

A quick nod of agreement from Eri and another nervous squeak from Hanayo. Umi gives them a questioning look, because even with the clear absence of the obvious suspects, 'they' could be anyone really.

"Nozomi." Eri offers by way of explanation, and it really does explain a fair amount. If Nozomi is planning some big prank, she is probably conspiring with Rin and Nico at the very least, maybe Honoka too.

"Maybe we should call it a day and head home." A sigh and Eri stands, carefully closing her laptop and placing it in her bag. Umi wants to protest, they haven't done anything yet after all, but a small amount of worry invades her mind. What could her other friends be up to that would cause both Maki and Eri to want to flee?

"Let's go then. I'll walk you home Hanayo-chan. Safety in numbers, right?" Maki still looks tense, and her cheeks are brushed a faint pink (a trick of the light, surely), but she is obviously relieved to be leaving. She quickly places her cell phone in her bag, standing up and offering her hand to Hanayo, who hesitantly accepts it.

"Ah…alright, Maki-chan. I don't think that Rin-chan would do anything really bad though…" Hanayo smiles happily, her eyes lighting up with affection, as she takes Maki's hand and the two of them are the first to leave, waving goodbye as they quickly head out the door. It isn't lost on Umi that Maki warily checks the hall for the appearance of their wayward members before stepping out completely.

"See you tomorrow, Umi." Eri murmurs the soft farewell as she too quietly leaves. Umi is the last to leave the clubroom, turning off the light and closing the door firmly as she does. She catches a glimpse of Eri turning a corner down the hall when she turns to leave, and only realizes after taking a few steps in the opposite direction that the older girl wasn't heading toward the exit.

'She is probably going to wait for Nozomi anyway…' Umi sort of hopes that Eri will manage to distract Nozomi and the others enough to stop or delay whatever they are planning, but she doesn't hold out much hope. There has yet to be a time when a Nozomi planned prank has failed to be executed. With those thoughts, Umi heads for the safety of home as quickly as her dignity will allow. 'Comrade Eri, we will never forget your brave sacrifice!'

* * *

"Now for your first big assignment. Nothing too major. We are going to be practicing stalking the target, with a special emphasis on encounter location. Its really important for later lessons that you learn how to get your target alone, in an area that doesn't provide an easy escape. We'll practice effective 'capture' techniques another time. Ready everyone?"

"Yeah! Rin can't wait!"

"I'll do my best!"

"Ugh!"

"Now now, don't be like that Nicochi~"


	3. A Shimmering Reflection (NozoEri)

**Title: A Shimmering Reflection**

 **Pairing: NozoEri**

* * *

The very first time Ayase Eri was put in the most uncomfortable position of her life, she hadn't even meant to be anywhere near there. A small shortcut through an 'entertainment' district normally avoided, in order to get home before the last rays of the sun fell behind the distant horizon, had lead her to a situation that she had never before dreamed of experiencing,

On a moderately sized boulevard, a variety of people milled about, watching the many forms of entertainment that interspersed the crowd, blocking traffic of all types. Eri found it difficult to keep her footing as she attempted to navigate from one end of the street to the other, for the people around her moved about in seemingly random directions, and the street itself was broken cobblestone, with stones sticking up and potholes waiting to give the unwary pedestrian a twisted ankle for their inattention.

She nearly did twist her ankle when she heard a melodious voice call out to her and, unconsciously glancing in that direction she met eyes like the first green of spring, at once the golden of new leaves in the sun and the endless darkness of a shadowed forest. Her breath caught at the way the low light shimmered on strands of the purest amethyst, unable to look away from the way the woman's hair fluttered and flowed in the slight summer breeze. The crowd parted around her, in deference it seemed, to the magnificent, lovely, awe-inspiring goddess that approached her.

Eri was drawn in by those eyes. The voice that spoke to her, she felt she could listen to it for ages, but at the same time, she was so entranced that she wasn't able to understand the words. She just nodded along, certain that a goddess would never lead her astray. Mind filled with blissful thoughts, Eri felt a soft hand take hers and lead her away. She would follow that hand anywhere.

It wasn't until the box was closed behind her that Eri became aware of just what sort of thing she had agreed to in her 'cute girl' inspired insanity. Somehow, her body was twisted at odd angles, standing on one foot, but only by her toes, with her arm twisted behind her and her head tilted to one side. As the seconds passed by, Eri became more and more uncomfortable as her muscles protested. A muffled cheer was heard from outside the box, and then, the sharp _shing_ and _thud_ of the swords entering the box entirely too close for comfort.

Eri sweated nervously as she waited for the whole thing to be over. She swore to herself that should she survive, she would never ever _ever_ visit the entertainment district again...

* * *

The adorable blonde was there again. How many times had Nozomi looked out on the crowd gathered to see her perform and seen sky blue eyes watching her with such unhindered adoration? It seemed as if the girl made it a point to pass by every evening, just as the sun was setting. Nozomi rather liked the way the orange rays of light reflected off the golden hair, but she also couldn't help but wonder how the object of her interest would look at other times of the day, or even night. There were some days where she could barely resist the urge to run her hands through those surely silky locks, as she once again pulled the other girl into her spotlight, using her as a willing assistant for her amazing magic show.

Nozomi knew that she could choose anyone from the crowd to participate. There were always so many volunteers, waving hands in the air and jumping up and down from excitement. In the mornings and early afternoons, she would choose the most excited child and she would make certain to use the extravagant, awe-inspiring tricks. It brought her joy to hear the children's laughter and see their smiles as they moved on to other places. In the evenings, however, Nozomi felt herself a moth drawn to the sun. When that girl appeared before her, even the thought of choosing someone else was forgotten.

Nozomi was addicted to bright blue eyes and golden hair reflected orange in the twilight. She felt her heart leap at a shy smile and the slight hint of red that appeared on pale cheeks when they spoke. For the first time in a long time, Nozomi wished that summer would never end…

* * *

Eri stayed far too late, far too often. As summer turned to fall, the days got shorter, but the stacks of paperwork never seemed to dwindle in quite the same way. Even the shortcut wouldn't get her home fast enough to outrun the sinking of the sun.

Eri shivered in the cool night air, the street that had been so crowded during midsummer now almost completely devoid of people. The entertainers tended to pack up shortly after nightfall, and as the shadows stretched, the remaining revelers hurried home, thinking solely of a quiet night and good food waiting for them. Eri gazed sadly at the empty spot on the road that the magic show would have been, all the props and splendors packed and stored already. It was the first time all summer that she had missed the last showing, and she despaired that her enchanting, emerald eyed goddess had already gone home for the day.

As Eri turned away towards her own home, a heavy sadness settling over her heart at the thought, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against a well endowed chest, the faint lavender scent that Eri had come to associate with magic washed over her, and a familiar melodic voice whispered in her ear:

"Want to see a magic trick?"


	4. Flower Melody (UmiMaki)

**Title: Flower Melody**

 **Pairing: UmiMaki**

Every day at half past four, when all the loud and energetic students were deeply immersed in their after school activities, far enough away to no longer be a nuisance, an aloof girl who was both innocent and cynical made her way through empty halls to an isolated room containing a well cared for piano.

And every day at half past four, that aloof girl who hated the loud and annoying students who always seemed to interrupt her quiet contemplation, found a new flower sitting in an old vase, placed in the same spot it always was, upon the windowsill, basking in the setting sun.

A new flower, a new meaning to look up. Every day was the same, yet different, because there was always a new meaning to the flower, a new nuance, a slight change, a shift, always becoming deeper and more meaningful than each flower that came before.

The aloof girl, who loved the flowers, even though she would never say that, smiled to herself and began to play.

Every day at three on the dot, a quiet and serious girl, who grew up in a traditional family, placed a single flower in an old vase, in an isolated room containing a piano. The flower was different than the one before it, and the one that will come after will be even more different still. There was still more things the serious and quiet girl had to convey to an innocent and bright girl, who loved the piano.

Every day at three on the dot, a quiet and serious girl placed her feelings inside a vase. And every day at half past four, an innocent and cynical girl played out her own feelings in a song.

And with every day that passed, somehow, the meaning behind both flower and melody became more and more intertwined, until one day, all that was left to be said was "I love you."


End file.
